In February of 2004 mega-collector Vic Wertz set out to do what every Star Wars action figure collector wished for; to continue and update Star Wars: The Action Figure Archive. Five years earlier, fellow mega-collector Steve Sansweet wrote the reference book which has become for many collectors the definitive resource for Star Wars action figure collecting. Star Wars: The Action Figure Archive presented vintage Kenner and modern Hasbro action figures along with facts and movie and prop comparison photos. The only problem with Sansweet’s book was the obvious one when dealing with an every expanding and continuing topic; it requires frequent updating.
Wertz answered the call in the perfect form as a column in the official Star Wars fan club magazine, Star Wars Insider. At the time the Insider was published by Wertz and his partner Lisa Stevens’ company Paizo Publishing. Paizo, the third company to publish the magazine, devoted a great amount of journalistic real estate to figure collecting. Not only did they include three pages per issue to the Action Figure Archive but gave Star Wars toy maker company Hasbro their own three page collumn each month as well. Combine this with “Scouting the Galaxy” by original author Sansweet himself, the occasional featured article about the 3 3/4 action figure line and numerous action figure exclusives made Paizo’s run with the fan club a collector’s dream.
Wertz teamed with well known Star Wars action figure collector and photographer Dan Curto to pick-up where the Sansweet had left off. Starting with the first wave of The Power of the Force “2” Flashback series, Wertz bought the essence of the original archive book to the much more confined space of a magazine. Wertz and Curto’s work, as exciting for collectors as it was, was short lived due to the fan club passing into the hands of another publisher, IDG Entertainment. What began in issue #74 ended two issues later in #76 leaving fans to long for the updating and continuance of the archive once again.
To remember the dream, here for your viewing pleasure From 4-LOM to Zuckuss provide for you Star Wars Insider‘s short-lived “The Action Figure Archive – Expanding Your Collection” column.
Issue #74
Issue #75
Issue #76
